Witness Hugo Tremblay, centre, former aide of former Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum, during a break in Applebaum's trial on corruption charges at the Montreal Courthouse on Tuesday, November 15, 2016.Dario Ayala / Montreal Gazette

Hugo Tremblay grew increasingly distressed after he agreed to wear a wire to gather evidence against his former boss, who had since become the mayor of Montreal.

Working for Labatt Breweries, in a custody fight for his 15-month-old daughter and conspiring to help arrest Michael Applebaum,a man he considered a friend, Tremblay said he was increasingly stressed and depressed. He was in contact with the police officers handling what they referred to as their “Miami Vice operations” on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day.

Tremblay’s relationship with police was so close and his desire to please so strong, it seemed he wanted to be a member of the force, bringing his credibility into question, Applebaum’s lawyer said.

On the third day of the corruption trial of former Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum on Wednesday, lawyer Pierre Teasdale continued his cross-examination of Tremblay, Applebaum’s former chief of staff when he was borough mayor. As the Crown’s main witness, Tremblay spent the first two days of the trial chronicling bribery deals he said he and Applebaum orchestrated.

On Wednesday, Applebaum’s lawyer meticulously detailed the dozens of texts, phone messages and meetings Tremblay had with the police officers handling his case, communications that continued for years.

In May 2013, Tremblay wore a wire for police twice in meetings with Applebaum, then interim mayor of Montreal. Afterward, Tremblay was in contact with police frequently about the case, but also spoke about details of his personal life, his car problems, his traffic tickets, his ailments.

He said he was struggling with the “hypocrisy” of maintaining the guise of friendship with Applebaum while working to have him arrested.

When Applebaum’s brother died in May 2013, police encouraged Tremblay to go to the funeral home to keep up appearances. He said he couldn’t bring himself to do so, but did eventually send his condolences. Tremblay also had to see a psychologist at that time, referred to him by police. If it wasn’t for the psychologist, he might not be here today, Tremblay said Wednesday.

Teasdale asked why Tremblay continued to help police if he was so shaken.

“The human spirit is complex,” Tremblay responded.

And he had signed an agreement to help police and felt he had to carry it through to the end. In exchange for his help, Teasdale noted, the agreement specified Tremblay would not face any charges or possible jail time.

Police told Tremblay at the last minute they wanted him to call Applebaum at home on June 10, 2013, and follow a script written by police to get him to implicate himself in two alleged bribery schemes. Tremblay said he told them there was no way it would work because the questions and statements in the script were too clear about what was involved, something Tremblay said Applebaum would never discuss over a phone line. Applebaum, he said, had told him employees at city hall were having their offices swept for listening devices.

“I told (the police) if I start saying things this clearly to a man who is naturally suspicious, it’s clear he would react in the way he eventually did as you heard on the audio,” Tremblay said.

On the tape, Applebaum says nothing to incriminate himself, but advises Tremblay to turn himself in if he had done anything illegal.

Tremblay said police told him they were upset with the outcome, that he hadn’t followed the game plan properly. Police reported later that Tremblay was upset that they were disappointed.

“Did you feel like a member of the police team?” Teasdale asked.

Tremblay said he was disappointed the objectives had not been met.

He added he would be happy to take a lie-detector test today to prove he’s telling the truth.

In the afternoon, Teasdale continued to pore over Tremblay’s dozens of contacts with his police handlers, particularly Luc Lamy, with whom he appeared to develop a close relationship. Manywere related to the case, but several were personal. In June, four days after Applebaum was arrested, Tremblay texted Lamy and told him he is at a beach in the Laurentians. Don’t forget your sunscreen, Lamy told him.

“I’m using banana oil, thanks Dad,” Tremblay wrote.

“No problem, son,” Lamy responded.

Tremblay spent the first two days on the stand testifying that he and Applebaum colluded to extort tens of thousands of dollars from developers between 2007 and 2010 in exchange for guaranteeing contracts while Applebaum was borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

The former mayor of Montreal is facing 14 charges including fraud against the government and abuse of confidence. He has maintained his innocence from the day he was arrested.

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